"God comes specifically and gladly into the midst of disasters and the sphere of death." H. Thielicke (For full quote, click the link below.)
Tag: theology
Quote of Note #256: God on His Terms, Not Ours
". . . a way of life open and responsive to what God is doing rather than one in which we plot strategies to get God involved in what we are doing." E. Peterson (For the complete quote, click the link below."
Quote of Note #204: Motive, Means, & Politics
"As sinners we need a spiritual strategy for dealing with our own sinful tendency to put the best possible interpretation on our own motives while putting the worst possible interpretation on those of our opponents."
Bible Note #34: Evil Will Slay the Wicked — Psalm 34:21
There is an essential irony in this verse. It is essential in that it touches the very essence and fabric of reality. It is a state of affairs that is woven into the very fibers of existence. "Evil will slay the wicked." (Psalm 34:21 NIV) Evil is self-consuming. The evilness of that which is evil … Continue reading Bible Note #34: Evil Will Slay the Wicked — Psalm 34:21
Pastor Note #81: The Problem with Hymns
Recently, in an on-line discussion forum for pastors in the Reformed tradition, I read a complaint by one of the participants that he could not comprehend the appeal of what are sometimes called “7-11” songs – praise choruses that, it is claimed, are seven words long and are repeated over and over eleven times. He … Continue reading Pastor Note #81: The Problem with Hymns
Quote #13 — God as He Is
"But how far removed from the idea of the New Testament are the insipid words of the hymn which says, 'He came sweet influence to impart, a gracious willing guest,' and goes on to say, 'and his that gentle voice we hear, soft as the breath of even, that checks each fault, that calms each … Continue reading Quote #13 — God as He Is
Quotes of Note #5 — Baptism with the Holy Spirit
"I take it that that is abundantly clear -- you cannot be a Christian without having the Holy Spirit in you. But -- and here is the point -- I am asserting at the same time that you can be a believer, that you can have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, and still not … Continue reading Quotes of Note #5 — Baptism with the Holy Spirit
Quotes of Note #4 — The Devil
"Meanwhile, the devil also does his work, endeavoring to ruin sound doctrine by indirect means, working as it were underground, forasmuch as he could not openly attain his end." John Calvin, Letters of John Calvin: Selected from the Bonnet Edition. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1980, p. 90.
Quotes of Note #1 Healing and Redemption
". . . Jesus is working to restore the original vision of creation. Jesus starts from the innermost part of us, the seat of our relationship with God, and works outward to include our physical being. This process is like what [C. S.] Lewis called 'death working backwards,' as the ravaging effects of the Fall … Continue reading Quotes of Note #1 Healing and Redemption
Pastor Note #46 — Living in Time, Living with God, Part 2: The Past Tense of Faith
Time flies. Or, time drags. But the unalterable reality of human life is time. We live in time as fish live in water. I have a past. I am in the present. And in some form I will have a future. This time-orientedness is the fundamental framework of our lives. Everything we do, everything … Continue reading Pastor Note #46 — Living in Time, Living with God, Part 2: The Past Tense of Faith
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 